Happy Birthday, Alissa Czisny

By espnW | Jun 25, 2013

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Despite a rash of setbacks and injuries, Alissa Czisny still has her heart set on making her first Olympic team.

Happy 26th birthday to two-time national figure skating champion Alissa Czisny. And happy birthday to her twin sister, Amber Czisny, as well. The girls, who were born in Sylvania, Ohio on June 25, 1987, started figure skating when they were 1½. Alissa went on to win her first U.S. national title in 2009. She failed to make the U.S. team for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics after finishing 10th at nationals. She then rebounded to win nationals again in 2011, outskating defending champion Rachael Flatt. Disappointment arrived again, though, when she finished 22nd at the world championships in 2012 and then had surgery on her left hip to repair a labral tear. Earlier this year, she was forced to withdraw from nationals after dislocating her left hip during a warm-up event. Will she be able to rebound again and make it to Sochi? Only time will tell.